Pablo Quiros Fernández, is responsible for projects in Fertinagro Biotech, and will be in charge of giving the presentation “Use of metagenomics in suppressive soils”, within the framework of the First Microbiome Forum, which will focus on the research lines developed to try to understand how Indigenous microbiomes can reduce the diseases that affect these soils, even in the presence of the pathogen, and try to promote the development of these autochthonous protective microorganisms.
The soil microbiota: suppressive soils
The soil represents a favorable habitat for the development of a great diversity of microorganisms. The set of all of them is known as the microbiota of a certain soil. These microbiota conditions such essential factors as fertility, stability, nutrient cycles… and in short, the correct functioning of the soil ecosystem.
The suppressive soils are those in which the natural microbiota of the same, prevents the development of a certain phytopathogen, or, of the associated disease. The main biotic characteristics of natural or induced suppressive soils are the high rate of actinomycetes and a high metabolism and cometabolism potential of the living agents necessary for the high productivity of the arable land. These soils are usually rich in fungi, Bacillus, Pseudomonas, Streptomyces and yeasts, producing protective elements against fungi, bacteriosis, virosis or harmful insects.
Advances in the use of indigenous microbiomes
Recent advances in metagenomics and sequencing of microorganisms have provided us with new tools to reexamine and further characterize the nature of these soils.
Instead of applying potential biological control agents in an exaggerated way, our research on suppressive soils is focused on trying to understand how indigenous microbiomes can reduce the disease, even in the presence of the pathogen, and try to promote the development in the soil of these autochthonous microorganisms. protectors
R + D + i Department of Fertinagro Biotech
Fertinagro Biotech is a company dedicated to the production and commercialization of plant nutrients, developer of innovative solutions.
Currently, its R + D + i department collaborates with leading national scientific entities such as CITA, IBMCP, CEBAS, CIRCE or AULA DEI under the call Challenges- Collaboration 2017 for the development of five projects: “Fertility”, “Foliares” , “ ABOD”, “Seedcoat Bio” and “Horticultural Surpluses”.